Sandyford Dublin
 The two most likely reasons that will bring you to Sandyford are business or shopping. Sandyford lies on the South Western outskirts of Dublin and is split neatly in two by the M50 motorway that circles Dublin. The Sandyford Industrial Estate and the Beacon South Quarter shopping district lie within the M50 while the residential areas, misguidingly referred to as Sandyford Village, lie outside the M50 if seen from Dublin.
Sandyford Industrial Estate
The Sandyford Industrial Estate is one of Dublin's main office parks and features the Irish headquarters of international companies such as Microsoft, Vodafone, Canon and others. If you are not on a business trip, there is very little that would make you want to come all the way out here. The architecture of the different buildings is best admired from a distance. Up close, Sandyford is geared to cars and not very pedestrian friendly.
Beacon South Quarter
Sandyford's 'play area' amidst all the offices is the newly built Beacon South Quarter with its shops, cafes, sandwich bars and nicely designed, if somewhat barren public spaces. The Beacon South Quarter is also home to Imaginosity, Dublin's first interactive museum for children. Catering mainly to the under 10's, Imaginosity combines science and environmental education with play areas, a two-storey climbing wall and a kids' theatre. A great place for kids, the museum attracts some 130,000 visitors from all over Ireland each year. On the doorstep o the Beacon South Quarter you will find many of Dublin's car dealerships, furniture stores and other large outlets taking advantage of low floor rents.
Sandyford Village
Village is a bit of a misnomer, as Sandyford is dominated by a patchwork of housing estates and apartment blocks perched on a stony hill overlooking the M50 motorway. During the boom years from the late 1990's to 2005, Sandyford offered relatively affordable property prices and the area literally exploded. Despite the sprawling developments, a 10 minute car ride from Sandyford will bring you into the scenic Dublin Mountains and you will find yourself almost alone with Mother Nature and great views over Dublin. There are few if any amenities on the Village side, if you are looking for shops or a place to eat, head across the M50 for the Beacon South Quarter or nearby Stillorgan.
Getting To Sandyford
The Green Luas tram line is the main public transport link between Sandyford and the city centre. There are two stops servicing the area. The Stillorgan stop is convenient for the Beacon South Quarter and it shops, while the Sandyford terminus is well situated for the majority of offices in the area.
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